Other

Prepared or preserved molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 1605 69 00 (prepared or preserved other molluscs and aquatic invertebrates) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence and mandatory foreign-manufacturer registration under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS) Sanitary Import Permit clearance applies as a concurrent overlay, and consignments are permitted only through 79 designated food-import ports with effect from 1 March 2023.

What this is

HSN code

1605 69 00

Chapter

16 · Preparations of meat, fish or crustaceans, molluscs or other aquatic invertebrates

Primary regulator

FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (high-risk food regime)

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Sanitary Import Permit from AQCS
Health Certificate from AQCS

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

FSSAIFSSAI·Food Safety and Standards Authority of India

AQCSAQCS·Animal Quarantine and Certification Services

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.

Compliance steps

1
Confirm that the foreign manufacturing facility is registered with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the high-risk-food regime for fish and their products. The FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) must be uploaded in e-Sanchit before the bill of entry is filed; consignments from unregistered facilities are not permitted.
CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus dated 14-11-2022 · FSSAI order dated 10-10-2022
2
Obtain the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit (document code 911DF1) and Health Certificate (document code 6360AQ) before consignment dispatch. Quote the e-Sanchit IRN of the Sanitary Import Permit on the bill of entry to secure the AQCS NOC for CTIs listed in Annexure A (Sl. No. 3) of Circular 24/2022-Cus.
CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023
3
Route the consignment through one of the 79 designated food-import ports per General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022, and upload the Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS). Rectifiable labelling deficiencies are governed by FSSAI Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022 and CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022.
CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus dated 08-02-2023 · FSSAI Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is presenting a current FSSAI Import Licence while the AQCS Sanitary Import Permit IRN is absent or not yet uploaded in e-Sanchit. These are independent clearances — the food-safety NOC from FSSAI does not substitute for the animal-quarantine NOC from AQCS, and customs out-of-charge will be withheld until both document codes (911001 and 911DF1) are verified in e-Sanchit. Rectifiable labelling orders cover label-format defects only, not missing PGA clearances.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 1605 69 00 require BIS certification?

No, prepared or preserved aquatic invertebrates are not within the BIS Quality Control Order regime. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with a concurrent Animal Quarantine and Certification Services Sanitary Import Permit and a 79-designated-port restriction operative from 1 March 2023.

Which document codes must be uploaded in e-Sanchit at the bill of entry for this HSN?

Four documents are mandatory: Specimen Copy of Label (0110FS), Health Certificate (6360AQ), FSSAI Import Licence (911001), and AQCS Sanitary Import Permit (911DF1); out-of-charge will not be granted until all four are verified per CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus.

Is the foreign-manufacturer registration with FSSAI required for all exporters supplying this product?

Yes. Per CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus and the FSSAI order dated 10 October 2022, every foreign facility manufacturing fish and aquatic-invertebrate products for export to India must be registered with FSSAI before the import is permitted, regardless of the consignment size.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: FSSAI / AQCS / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.